Tales of a nordic wolf
by Delsch89
Summary: Varga picks up a new mercenary named Teldryn Sero, who proves to be a bit more than meets the eye and a valuable companion.
1. Chapter 1

**Possible the start of a series of stories regarding my OC in the Skyrim world. Will mostly focus on her and Teldryn Sero, mostly action, little romance, maybe more if I find the confidence. We don't know ALL that much about Teldryn, except the fact he's a delight to travel with. Anyway, this is how I imagine him in my game anyway.**

* * *

The sharp clang of a sword hitting chitin, echoed through the whole island for sure, as Teldryn Sero fell to his knees, muttering a Dunmer curse under his breath. A flake of chitin had been chipped off his helmet and it could have become an even deeper hole, if the female Nord hadn't disposed of the attacker in time, an arrow piercing the bandit's neck. The sword was dropped to the ground right next to Teldryn, who grunted in further annoyance, getting back up on his feet. Once again they were surrounded by the eerie stillness, except for the ash still whirling around them after the fight.

Varga pulled her dark red hair back into a ruffled knot, since it had come undone during the fight, while looking around them, before coughing abruptly, trying to wave away the ash near her face. Still new to Solstheim, she hadn't grown accustomed to the foul air and it was a wonder she was even capable of fighting in it. That was why she had picked up Teldryn the moment she had seen him and learned he was a mercenary. He knew the lay of the land and if she had a coughing fit, he hopefully would not. It was the _official_ reason she had given him at least, beyond the actual payment. In truth she favored people's company as she hated being alone, especially in new places.

During the two days they had been together out in the wilderness, making their way to Tel Mithryn, she had already got a good eye for him and what he could do. He was a good swordsman, as he had said himself, as well as good with destruction spells. But he was also calm and collected, nothing much seemed to ever phase him, but then she had no idea how old he was. Not even dragons made him blink; he just saw it as a good challenge. The most surprising thing she had learned, was the fact he liked to talk quite a lot compared to other mercenaries she had come across. He didn't seem to mind or judge her young age and low experience; as in fact she could swear he enjoyed having a patron that wasn't acting like more than him.

Granted, she hadn't revealed much about herself either, beyond the fact that she was the Dragonborn and sort of new at it too. Still, it seemed like more information than he had given her; at least she had shown her face, even if she currently wore a scarf to cover her mouth and nose in the ash; although pulled down at the moment. He hadn't even taken that chitin helmet off since they had met!

She was rubbing her right cheek, her green tattoo there barely visible in the dim light, bright green eyes peering towards Teldryn as he stood up, somewhat gingerly. The blow to his head had to have been hard, considering there was a permanent hack in the helmet now.

"Are you alright?" she asked him, as she sheathed the bow over her back. He snorted sharply under the helmet.

"Of course," he replied. "I've met harder-hitting bastards before."

"If you say so." Varga knelt down by the corpse, checking their pockets for valuables before proceeding to do the same with the other three, pretending not to notice that Teldryn faintly kicked the one she just left. The bandits must have been desperate enough to attack them since they carried little with them except for some gold; hardly worth the effort of killing them in the first place and definitely not worth any injuries.

The sun was setting already and with this ash-filled air, some nights could seem darker than others. She cast a quick glance towards the moons, before looking around the land, as Teldryn came up to her, brushing his hands off.

"We should make camp, no?" he suggested before she could say it.

"Yes. Night's coming quickly now..." she agreed, looking about. "Look over there, among the cliffs. Looks like a good place to stay," she continued, pointing in the direction she meant before starting to walk over there. On the way she picked up old branches and similar material to use for the campfire they'd need. The cliffs would shelter some of the light from others as well as making it harder for someone to sneak up on them.

Teldryn always took charge of creating the campfire, without Varga ever asking and she had a feeling it was because of his former patron. With his fire spells, it was easy for him to start the fire after all, instead of fighting with tinder and the like. Meanwhile she packed up some of the food they carried with them, putting it to be warmed next to the fire. Teldryn was resting his head in his hand, where he had been hit, as if trying to determine the damage… with his helmet on, as Varga rolled her eyes.

"You know, I'm going to start calling you bug-eyes, since frankly, it fits you and your helmet. Considering you never take it off," she chuckled, with her head almost down in the bag while rummaging about. When she 'resurfaced' she realized Teldryn had in fact taken off his helmet, holding it now while looking at her, with an eyebrow arched.

"Oh," was all she could say, realizing how silly her comment had been now. "_Oh_…" she mumbled a second time upon realizing he was way better looking than she had expected. The typical dunmer features along with a black mohawk, some red tattoos and a stylized beard.

Teldryn's almost knowing smirk sent her right back into the bag out of embarrassment, wishing she could literally climb down into it now. She glanced up briefly as she heard him drop the helmet to his side, waiting a few moments before putting her bag to the side as well, now that her embarrassment had worn off. He was hardly the first good looking man she had come across, but the embarrassment of it was just as annoying every time. She'd just never get used to it, it seemed.

She poked the food near the fire warily, throwing further glances at Teldryn who was running his fingers along his head, tracing his way to the gash on the side by following the blood. Varga didn't say anything, besides, it didn't seem she had to as he ran his fingers further across the wound, the warm glow a clear indication that he was healing it already.

"Is it that easy?" the nord asked suddenly, as he looked towards her with blood red eyes.

"What is?" he asked, touching the side of his head again to make sure the wound had vanished before putting his hand back on his helmet. He seemed to ponder something for a moment before removing his hand from it, looking at her fully again.

"Healing?"

"It's like any other spell," he replied, his tone aloof. "So, yes, it's easy. Why, has it been too much for you?" he asked, almost amused.

"Spells have never been my thing, no… and all spell casters make it seem so easy," Varga snorted.

"Well, being the Dragonborn, you have a lot of other advantages… so I wouldn't feel sullen about it were I you."

"I can't heal."

He snorted suddenly, as if offended.

"Isn't that why you hired me?" he asked afterwards, arching an eyebrow. "So you wouldn't get injured? Even if you do, I can heal you up easily. Even if some wounds do give character."

"Are you offering to take on dragon fire for 500 gold?"

"On second thought, dragons aren't in the usual package, no…" Varga chuckled amusedly.

"Don't worry. The way I'm living… you can get way more than that. Just remind me," she smirked.

"How much more?" Teldryn was still a mercenary for hire; coin would interest him a lot.

"A lot more," she winked. "Also that depends on how well you'll behave," she added, causing him to burst out in laughter.

"An employer who has humor. I've missed that, I'll admit," he chuckled afterwards. "I know just how to start being well behaved, too," he added, as he got up on his feet, before sitting down closer to her. Varga arched her eyebrows at him, as he grabbed her hands suddenly, turning them over.

"Casting a spell isn't all that different from everything else you do," he explained. "I suppose you have done it sometimes?"

"Sort of," Varga frowned, feeling a bit embarrassed and confused at the same time. "Where I… grew up, I was forced to attempt spells. They quickly realized it was no use though. According to them I didn't… have the right mind, I couldn't focus so the spells didn't… happen."

"Nonsense. There's no right or wrong mind," Teldryn almost cut her off, as if it was the most ridiculous notion he had heard. "It's just… doing, it is that simple. It can still exhaust you though."

He let go off her hands before pulling his sword from its sheath. Varga jumped as he pressed his palm against the sharp blade, blood dripping from the skin already. He then put the sword to the side again, showing her his palm. Nothing but a small graze, something he himself could heal within a moment, but that wasn't the point.

"Now just heal it," he said calmly, putting her hand over the graze. She gave him an almost tired look before putting on a focused expression; something Teldryn immediately changed by hitting the back of her head with his free hand.

"Ow!"

"I said not to over think it," he retorted. "Just do it."

"Right now, I'd rather pummel your face in."

"You can do that afterwards."

She glared at him before looking back at the gash on his hand. She grabbed hold with both hands instead, repeating the word 'heal' in her head over and over, with no result. Suddenly she started to think that his hand was surprisingly warm and comfortable to hold on to. Except where the gash was, the blood was a slightly uncomfortable sensation. She ran her fingers across the area again, startled at the warm glow which resulted in her instantly jerking her hands away from his.

Teldryn checked the palm, before flexing his fingers mostly for the sake of it.

"Well, it's a good thing the graze was so small else you'd only end up healing half of it," he chuckled. "Wasn't too hard, was it?"

"… No," Varga replied, rather surprised at the fact she managed a neutral face about the whole thing. "Just… strange."

"I am certain. But then, Shouting would seem awfully strange to me too. And inconvenient."

"Yeah, I wouldn't recommend protesting unless you like getting toppled over by a Shout," Varga smiled amusedly, glad that the awkwardness was fading away now. "Thanks, by the way. It's funny how you managed it, while my teachers couldn't."

"I got my… ways. You're welcome."

He grabbed the piece of food, checking it if it was hot enough, before starting to eat. Varga sighed to herself as she looked out over the grey fields further away. The whole situation felt strange to her really; sitting in new territory with a new companion. The only thing that seemed remotely familiar was the sky and its cursed moons. She narrowed her eyes briefly at them, before glancing at Teldryn.

"By the way, I need you to head to Tel Mithryn ahead of me tomorrow," she said suddenly, picking up a piece of done meat and slapped it on top of some bread.

"What? Why?" Teldryn asked, sounding confused.

"There's something here I need to do before. Alone too, I'm afraid. Dragonborn business," she lied easily, while biting into the food.

"What, your kind have some secret ritual or something?"

"You… could say that. It'll just be a day or so and then I'll catch up. But by the time I'll be in Tel Mithryn too, it'll be three days or so. Hopefully you'll be there too then."

"And what am I supposed to do there while I wait?"

"Gather the information we need. Speak to the people there. Take a break?"

Teldryn seemed displeased by the whole thing but nodded anyway. He seemed thoughtful afterwards though, something Varga hoped he'd stop with. There wasn't anything to think about here, it was a simple order she had given him; orders he had surely gotten from employers before.

* * *

The morning came quickly and the sky seemed clearer than it had since Varga had arrived on Solstheim. At the moment ash wasn't falling from the old volcano in the distance back in Morrowind, leaving the air easier to breathe as well. She pulled down the scarf from her face, inhaling deeply. The air was cold and crisp, something she was used to from Skyrim. It also gave her a better view of the area around them, allowing her to plan for the next night. Breakfast was saved for later, when hours had passed, turning the morning into midday.

"Now I'll trust that you won't get killed on the way to Tel Mithryn," Varga almost teased Teldryn.

"I certainly won't. I'm not too sure about you," he replied drily. "After all, you hired me to help you find your way here… and back you up."

"I know. Don't worry about it, though."

She almost waved him off while checking through her bag again. His eyeroll wasn't hard to miss even from her position, as he turned and left.

"If you aren't there by your planned time, I'll head back to Raven Rock and assume you're dead," he warned her, as he walked off. She didn't bother replying to that, since she had fully planned on being there by that time. It wasn't until he was out of sight that she picked up the bag to throw it over her shoulder again.

The mountains of the island loomed in the near distance, cold and unforgiving. She wasn't heading towards them, but near enough that the snow from them and the northern part of the island was around her. It was way colder up here, less risk for other people, she figured, as she kept walking, until she found a good spot. Large rocks and bushes had created a secluded spot, good enough for her, as she dropped her bag and weapons there, hiding them under some snow and branches while at it.

As night approached, she could feel the horrible tugging at her very being, as the moons rose up behind the lands. She quickly threw off the heavier gear she wore, until she stood in a thin shirt and trousers alone, barefoot in the snow.

Varga hated the uncontrollable urge that washed over her, as every limb twisted and grew unnaturally for a human being. Bones and muscles were moved and grown, feet twisted in strange angles, the jaws longer: even sharp teeth were emerging. In the end the horrible sensation mattered little, since the uncomfortable feeling vanished, being replaced by the sheer lust to hunt and kill. The bloodlust caused the werewolf to howl in an attempt to release some of the pressure, before it calmed down enough to take in the surroundings. It could hear every sound, even heartbeats in the near distance.

Snow exploded around it, as it darted off on all four in full speed running down the slope that Varga had walked up before. A human being was just nearby, moving slowly through the brush, until it tensed, the smell of adrenaline filling the air.

Teldryn wasn't too caught off guard as the werewolf's claws slashed into the tree next to him, tearing off whole chunks of wood that flew through the air. He moved backwards nevertheless, as the beast slid across the snow at the momentum it had built up. He had fought and killed werewolves before, so he knew a few things about them and the ones riding on bloodlust were the most dangerous ones but also easiest. They were fast and strong, but clumsy in their eagerness to kill something.

He quickly summoned a flame atronach to serve as a distraction, because he knew it wouldn't be able to kill the werewolf, possibly just burn its skin a little. While the beast charged at the fire creature, he approached it from behind, raising his sword while aiming at its neck; a blow he hoped would stop its rampage.

The werewolf must have noticed because it turned around in the last second; standing face to face with it made him realize it had unusually bright green eyes, before its jaws tried to shut closed on his head. A fire spell from his hand hit it in the head first though, causing it to stumble backwards, growling in pain.

It all made sense now, Teldryn figured as he narrowed his eyes in pain from having been too close to his own spell. These three days were full moon ones, exactly the amount of days Varga had planned to be away. It was just a guess, but the green eyes were unusual enough to make him interrupt his previous plan; even in self-defense he'd rather not end up killing the girl; the Dragonborn of this age.

He darted off to the side, running between the trees, well aware that the werewolf was close behind him, having the advantage of greater speed and agility. There were lights further off and for a moment he wondered if leading her there was such a good idea; since other humans hardly would be as understanding as him. It wasn't until he broke out from the trees that he recognized the place as a small bandit hold that he had helped clear out once, as a service to Raven Rock. It had been tiny back then too, consisting of nothing more than a campfire and a small cave and things hadn't changed.

"Hey!" one of the humans there called out to the approaching Dunmer. "Get lost, unless you want to lose your life!" he continued, spitting out the words, as he lifted up a bow from the ground. The two behind him readied up their weapons too, but after a few moments they realized that Teldryn wasn't their biggest concern, as the huge werewolf burst out from the bushes, continuing its dash towards them.

"Unfortunately, you're the ones that will lose your lives," Teldryn almost sneered at them, as he ran past the camp as well but stopped a bit further off. He considered bandits nothing better than the ash spawn, so leading the werewolf right into them was nothing but an easy way to clear out Solstheim. Considering the disgusting sounds of bones being crushed and the screams, he knew his… very quickly-thought out plan had worked. The stillness afterwards was almost deafening on its own, as he walked back up to the camp, silently and carefully.

One of the corpses closest to the fire had basically been torn apart, as the werewolf had torn out a chunk from the ribcage, bones and all. The rest were simply maimed, badly enough to have killed them though. The werewolf itself had paused by the fire, looking around aimlessly, before turning its gaze towards the dead bandits. It prodded one of them with the back of its fingers, until Teldryn cleared his throat on purpose, testing its reaction.

It spun around, growling still, but stopped immediately, as if recognizing him. That reaction alone made Teldryn step up to the fire, his eyes fixed on the beast. Its ears fell back in a submissive manner, the following growl too light to be seen as anything else but an attempted whine.

"Stupid girl, what have you done to yourself," Teldryn frowned dismally, fairly sure it was indeed Varga. A non feral werewolf would usually regain their senses after their first full moon kill, and since she was the Dragonborn, he could only assume she had it easier in that department.

She did bare her teeth at his words, and he lifted his palms quickly with a sigh. Confronting her about this right now, wasn't the best idea really. What was more surprising was that she understood him, for some reason he had assumed she wouldn't. She nudged the bandits again, giving him an inquiring look.

"Don't worry. They're bandits, better off dead anyway," he shrugged, still too disturbed by this revelation to respond in a less annoyed manner. Varga growled lightly before she started to wander off from the camp, making a light gesture for him to follow her.

She led him back to the place where she had hidden her belongings and he looked around somewhat impressed. It was a good place she had picked; it would seem she had experience in planning ahead for these things, so she must have had the curse for a long time.

Since she didn't require a fire, he had to start one himself, with her watching him in silence. Once in a while, she'd look up towards the moons. Teldryn didn't sleep during the night, he couldn't anyway and Varga mostly sat quietly for herself. In a sense, it was one of the most awkward nights he had ever experienced at least.

When the moons disappeared from the sky, so did the beastly form. At least in a more gentle way than it started, as fur fell off and bones and muscles returned to their previous places. Varga had been forced to her knees already in the start and just as it finished, she felt a cloak fall over her shoulders. She wrapped it around her in the cold, before looking towards Teldryn who stood there, arms folded across his chest.

"Dragonborn _and _a werewolf?" he asked. "You couldn't settle for one?"

"You assume I had a choice in either of them." she frowned at him. He had to arch an eyebrow at that.

"I can see the Dragonborn thing being without a choice but the werewolf one… are you telling me you haven't willingly entered Hircine's service?"

"Of course I haven't! What do you take me for, some power-hungry nut job!" Varga huffed, holding out her arms and cloak while at it. Teldryn turned around abruptly with a grimace.

"Oh for heaven's sake, I'm not naked," she snapped afterwards, as he looked back unsurely before rolling his eyes when he realized she wasn't. "Nice to know the very thought of me naked disturbs you."

"It does not."

"What?"

"I… you're avoiding the subject, outlander!"

"Look who's talking. But no… I don't serve Hircine and if I could get rid of this curse, I would."

Teldryn didn't seem to relax much, but he did a bit, rubbing the brink of his nose now.

"Right. My apologies then," he said afterwards, before gesturing towards her clothes. "How?"

"A well taught enchantment… only works on these two pieces of clothing though," she explained as she walked past him to fish up her things, putting on her armor and shoes. She handed the cloak back to him abruptly.

"You don't like werewolves, do you?" she asked.

"Not much, no. It boggles my mind how people can willingly enter Hircine's service. Just didn't occur to me that a few simply may have no choice. I have to admit, you make a formidable werewolf though. Must be your dragon heritage."

Varga wasn't sure what to reply to that, as she picked up her bag again, sighing dismally.

"Why didn't you do what I told you to? This is precisely why I sent you off, so I wouldn't risk killing you," she frowned at him.

"Didn't feel right to leave you like that," he shrugged. "If I get paid to do my job, I _will _do my job. I just figured I could keep quiet about whatever you did, so I tracked you up. Didn't expect to walk right onto a werewolf."

"Right… well, it would still have been best if you had stayed away. There's two more full moons to go through."

"Won't they be easier?"

"I won't need to… kill anything but I will still need to feed. But yes… they're easier. I'm still in control during those."

"So we'll kill some animal before tonight then. Less risk of encountering someone who'd rather see you dead and you can feed in a safe place."

Varga looked at him, almost shocked.

"Seriously, you're the strangest man I've ever met," she shook her head afterwards. She had a few friends back in Skyrim but while they had accepted her… disease, she had been able to bring it up in peace and as human. She hadn't tried to kill them like she had with Teldryn. And still he had accepted it already.

"Hardly. Just very tolerant…" he replied with a calm smile, as Varga just shook her head, confused _and _grateful.

* * *

**I use a lot of mods and some will affect the story itself; since some play a very large role in my game and how it effects. I hate for instance how the werewolf power is just that, a once-a-day use power. I've RPed World of Darkness as a werewolf and while I can't remember it all, nor knew that much to start with, I treat skyrim werewolves a little like that. It's more than just a power after all, it will make you lose control, etc etc. That's how it is in my game anyway, and it will affect what I write and play. I try to keep to the lore as best as I can though, but describing spells... haha... I couldn't find that anywhere so I majorly improvised that. **

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**Skyrim belongs to Bethesda, so does Teldryn but Varga is mine. **

**Thanks for your time and reading! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**So upon further thinking, I am going to make this fanfic into one with random stories, as to avoid the problems that comes with a full on plot. I need a break from a full on plot story. :P The only thing that will have a "plot" really is the relationship. **

**Again, I am changing some things like buildings and such because I believe the world looks a bit different than in game (game limitations and such) **

_**Skyrim belongs to Bethesda.**_

* * *

The Pale was cold and harsh as usual, the crisp snow glittering in the dim moonlight. Even at a distance, it was easy to see the building further off under some cliffs, where fires were slowly dying out in the cold.

Varga ran through the snow like she hadn't before, giving even Teldryn a hard time keeping up, as he silently cursed her speed, brought on by gods knew what; probably her lycanthropy. He had no idea why she was running either, it was just a partly burned-down house by the looks of it and yet she dashed as if her life depended on it. And here he thought they were in a hurry to get back to Solstheim and return Neloth's damned old staff or whatever it was.

She didn't stop even as she ran up the stairs and through the now broken apart doorway that splintered apart upon the touch of her shoulder. There were bodies inside, as well as blood and… strange black hounds she had never seen before. By the time Teldryn caught up with her, she had already knelt down by one of the bodies, dressed as vigilant of Stendarr; touching the woman's head.

"Dead people. Nothing new, is it?" he asked, looking out through the doorway in case they weren't alone. But it seemed that whoever had caused this were long gone, considering how the snow had already settled over a body just outside the house. When she didn't reply, he stepped inside to touch her shoulder, hoping to get a reaction from her. She was tense, even before she slammed his hand away and he grunted in response. She rarely, if ever, expressed any anger toward him or anyone else she knew. That alone made him curious and a bit wary since she still had issues controlling herself when upset.

"How about you explain what's going on?" he continued, looking down at the bodies.

"I knew these people," came her half-hearted reply, as if all the air had escaped her lungs or maybe the running had finally caught up to her. Teldryn smacked his tongue loudly, looking around them again before walking away to one of the dead hounds, giving it a soft kick to roll it over, watching it for a moment.

"Vigilants of Stendarr? When you're a… eh, werewolf?" he asked doubtfully, as she stood up, hugging herself dismally.

"It was… before that happened," she replied. "I grew up here." She turned around to inspect the other bodies as well as the few books that were still whole after the fire while Teldryn mostly kept an eye out but he had looked at her nevertheless at that news fact. He had questions to ask, but he wondered if this was really the time. Varga took one of the books, a journal by the looks of it, and tucked it in her bag, before looking at the bodies again.

"I can't just leave them like this," she frowned dismally. A proper burial would be difficult to arrange here, in this cold and frozen dirt.

"Burn them," came Teldryn's voice, looking at her seriously enough.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, it's already been attempted for one thing… and it seems like the only plausible option in this cold. It's how we bury our dead. Beats letting their bodies rot in the ground. In this case, above ground, which is even worse."

Varga gave him a sharp look at the last bit, but she knew he had a point. Burning the bodies would be easiest right now.

"Fine," she said after a few moments. "Would you gather the… bodies closer together? I'll need to check if there's a clue here as to who did this."

He nodded, looking none too pleased though, as he got to work and she wandered off near the dead hounds. Among them seemed to be the remains of a pile of something grey and she stuck her hand in it, realizing it was ash but not any kind of ash. She had learned something from the vigilants after all, her face growing dark upon the realization.

"It was vampires," she said out loud after a few moments, her eyes narrowing. "Vampires did this to them." She quickly stood up as Teldryn put the last body in the same line as the others, folding their arms over their chest.

"Well, it seems they died in the attempt too," he replied, as Varga stepped back outside in the cold, barely feeling it biting at her skin. She didn't reply, looking towards Dawnstar instead. Being the closest town, maybe they'd have more information, she thought. Besides, it was already late as it was, they'd need somewhere to spend the remaining night.

She heard Teldryn step out behind her and she glanced at him briefly.

"Shall I?" he asked, gesturing towards the building behind them. Her brief nod put him into action as he turned around and started to conjure fire from his hands. It took some effort to get rid of the cold snow that had already found its way inside the house and the wood itself was frozen by now. At least he could make sure that the bodies burned properly, which was the most important thing. But it still wasn't until after a few good minutes, that he felt secure enough in knowing that the place would fully burn down.

He took care not to show the strain to Varga, though she seemed lost in her own thoughts, watching the fire rise through blank eyes. Instead he brushed his hands off, flexing his fingers a bit.

"What next?" he asked, still feeling that this wasn't the best time for questions.

"Dawnstar," she replied, casting a last, long look at the building before turning around to head back to the road.

The walk to Dawnstar had been short and fast, accompanied by very little if any words at all. It wasn't until they reached the town's inn that Varga seemed to come to life again, almost charging inside the building. The male innkeeper jumped, though seemed to relax somewhat upon seeing Varga. Teldryn couldn't help but notice how strange it was that most recognized the Dragonborn, not to say assumed safety in her presence.

"The Dragonborn herself…" the innkeeper smiled a bit. "What can I do for you?"

Varga paused first upon reaching the counter looking directly at the innkeeper who frowned slightly, almost nervously.

"Are you aware of what has happened to the hall of vigilants?" she asked.

"Yeah," the innkeeper nodded. "Terrible thing that."

"You knew?" Varga blinked, before slamming her hands down on the counter. "Then why were their bodies just lying there?! You should have given them a proper burial!" The innkeeper had jumped, along with the few patrons currently resting inside the inn. One of the larger ones stood up, as if preparing for a fight, but Teldryn put his hand on the handle of his sword still resting in its sheath causing the man to pause, question was for how long.

The innkeeper had lifted his palms in a gesture of peace, looking concerned.

"We tried but then Dawnstar was attacked by vampires!" he said quickly. "Now none of the guards dare leave it and none of us want to venture out there without a guard."

Varga calmed down enough to exchange a look with Teldryn, now that calmness was settling back down among the patrons.

"Vampires?" she asked.

"Yes, haven't you heard? For the last two weeks or so, more people and towns have been attacked by small groups of vampires than what is normal. This was the first time Dawnstar was attacked so everyone's a bit… wary now."

"We've been… away for some time. However, it turned out that vampires are responsible for the attack on the hall too."

"Well… I am not surprised," the innkeeper shook his head dismally. "The vigilants are the first the vampires would have a bone to pick with, I guess."

Varga sighed. It seemed Skyrim had been struck with a ridiculous amount of bad luck. Its people were tough and strong but there had to be limits even to them. Dragons, vampires and the whole mess on Solstheim even if that would take at least a year before it'd become a real problem. And the vigilants had become stuck in between and had paid with their lives.

"The vigilants are many and this wasn't their only hold in Skyrim. The vampires will be in for a shock if they don't know that," she frowned afterwards, putting a few gold coins on the counter. "We'll need a meal and two rooms please," she finished, as the innkeeper nodded before gesturing to the two doors to the right. Dawnstar didn't get that many visitors in the first place so it was a chance for both her and Teldryn to get some time off each other, if needed. She didn't feel it like that, but maybe he did.

Both came back out after having dropped off the majority of their things in the rooms behind locked doors, before settling at one of the tables. The innkeeper came over with some warm stew and bread, as well as water and ale.

"From one trouble to the next, huh?" Teldryn asked after a while, as Varga didn't seem to strike up a conversation which was unusual for her.

"This is the first… trouble that has hit close to home," she replied, almost annoyed. "I didn't agree much with the vigilants, but they were still the closest thing I had to a family."

"You know that sentence strike me as odd. The few vigilants I've encountered have been pretty much zealots in their cause. But you… you're as far off from a vigilant as one can get."

"I was… thrown off with them as an older child. But I wasn't young enough to fully embrace their ideals and ideas. Probably why I lack the appetite for magic; I didn't grow up with it."

"Again, it has little to do with it," Teldryn rolled his eyes. "It seems they knew nothing about magic, that's for sure. More about how to burn vampires and spike werewolves… not to say cause a high-mouthed fuss about everything."

Varga's expression quickly turned into one of disapproval as Teldryn slowly finished what he was chewing, watching her.

"I know you're upset, but it's true," he said flatly afterwards. "What exactly did you do for them anyway? Since you were… denied any _proper_ magic training."

Varga poked a little in her food, seemingly reluctant to admit to anything.

"Nothing important. I scouted out areas and if I found anything worth reporting, I did so to a senior vigilant, then they dealt with it… and usually sent me out to fetch something or some other errand. It got better when I got older but they had always been unsure of my 'true' loyalties."

"So you were the odd one out, I take it?" he asked, as he casually picked his teeth with one of his nails. She scoffed, taking a drink from the ale.

"You could say that. But it wasn't really bad… the harsh words and treatment were better than anything else I knew; it was a safe place and sometimes they were real nice. I didn't have that for a long time after I got separated from them. I didn't even go back when I could… I mean, it doesn't exactly say werewolf written over me so they probably wouldn't even know."

"Only when you get angry."

"Wait, what? … Are you serious?"

"Of course. You tense up, your arms flex, there's something wild in your eyes. But then, I'm aware of your nature, so it's easy to see."

"That's a lot of details to notice, nevertheless," Varga arched an eyebrow at him.

"You're part beast. I learned the signs of the transformation very quickly, just in case…"

"Oh… uh, thanks."

She rested her hands around the mug in front of her while looking down at it, actually glad over the subject change. She couldn't help but wonder if things would have been different if she hadn't left, even if that had been involuntarily at best. Things had just escalated after that and by the time she could have changed her mind, she had already grown a taste for the freedom that came with it… and along with that the guilt had grown as well. Her face grew even darker after that thought, visible enough for Teldryn to notice.

"Perhaps it's best if you just went to sleep," he suggested. "It's been a taxing day, no doubt."

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed, as she stood up. "You're staying up for awhile longer?"

He nodded. "Someone has to finish this," he smirked, gesturing at what was left of the food.

"I need you working by tomorrow, though."

"Don't worry, dear patron. If I know your limits, I certainly know my own," he winked.

* * *

Something stirred Varga in her sleep; something primitive and dangerous that made her subconscious feel stressed. A scent invaded her dreams, a horrible stench mixed with ash and fire. As she came awake, opening her eyes in the pitch darkness of her room, she realized that the scent wasn't just from a dream. It was very much real and currently in her room.

She moved suddenly, reaching for the bow and arrows next to her, as she spotted the shadow slowly moving towards her from the door. By the time she had just sat up, the arrow was already on its way towards the figure, striking it with a sharp thud. The figure hissed loudly, moving forward fast now, but not fast enough to reach the bed before Varga had rolled out of it, another arrow on the string. It too hit true, causing the intruder to fall to their knees for the moment.

They threw up their arms over the bed, in an attempt to get up again, still hissing more like a beast than a man; when Teldryn suddenly stormed inside the room, a large flame in his hand that shed enough light in the room to reveal Varga's attacker.

A pale, long face with orange glowing eyes turned towards Teldryn, fangs bared in an angry expression, no doubt for the interruption. Teldryn moved forward but halted quickly when a third arrow was fired and landed straight in the man's forehead. He fell backwards with a thump, twitching a little before turning into ash.

Teldryn frowned, before looking at Varga who lowered the bow, returning his look. He seemed annoyed, but somehow she knew it wasn't aimed at her, as he went out of the room. She followed, a bit confused and still with that nasty scent in her nostrils. There were some stray signs of ash flying about in the inn, swooped up by the wind from the open door.

"Is the town under attack?" Varga asked though she was already heading outside without waiting for an answer really. Teldryn followed, cursing under his breath as he stepped outside.

"In this freezing cold? Sheogorath's madness take them…" he continued in a mutter. Varga gave him a quick glance, realizing he was running around in no more than a grey shirt, trousers and hastily put on boots. No wonder he was freezing to the point of his teeth clattering. She barely felt the cold herself, despite being in her basic clothes as well.

"It's not that bad," she said in a half-hearted tease, looking around for any signs of battle.

"Says the Nord with both dragon and werewolf blood running through her veins," Teldryn countered. "We should go back inside, it seems clear out here."

"Vampires obviously like to sneak around," Varga replied with a frown, as she stepped out in the snow, following the new footsteps out to the town's main entrance.

"You don't even have shoes, woman!" Teldryn huffed behind as he followed, looking more than a little peeved.

"Go back to the inn, Teldryn, and let the women handle this," she continued the tease, as she inspected the ground, ignoring his loud scoff. The sky was clear, allowing all the stars to shine, including the half full moon that didn't concern her in the slightest right now. From what she could tell there was only two sets of footsteps, so perhaps the attackers had only been those in the inn. There was no sound of fighting anywhere either and it seemed unnecessary to go and wake up everyone up. Even the few guards who stood posted in the town's centre seemed calm, obviously having missed the inn's visitors.

"Don't make me drag you back inside," Teldryn grumbled behind her, as she did head back to the inn but not because of his complaining. There was simply no reason to stand out there anymore.

"I needed to make sure no one else was in danger, Teldryn. You know that," she sighed.

"My concern is_you_, _not_ everyone else, as you also know," he replied, shutting the door behind them in some relief. The innkeeper had woken up, hurrying into the main room from the basement where he probably had his own quarters.

"What happened?" he asked, concerned, before realizing he had stepped into what seemed to be ash; lifting his naked foot in confusion.

"Two vampires snuck inside," Teldryn replied. "They're… dead now. Might want to fetch a broom as one of them died in my patron's room," he continued, making it no less than an order. The innkeeper gulped a bit at the notion of vampires before moving about after said broom and then going inside Varga's room.

Teldryn left Varga momentarily to check on the other rooms before coming back, looking more relaxed now.

"I'm sorry for not reacting sooner," he frowned, the embarrassment catching up to him now. If Varga hadn't been so fast in defending herself, he might have been too late. It was nothing short of sloppy work from his side.

Varga arched an eyebrow at him, otherwise busy brushing off the snow from her naked feet.

"You know I can handle myself, Teldryn," she said calmly. "I think my werewolf blood woke me up; I… could smell the vampire even as I slept." He didn't look entirely satisfied with the reply and to be honest it surprised her. Teldryn was a hired man, yes, but she hadn't really expected him to take it _that_ seriously, no other hireling had.

"Of course," he replied when he noticed she was looking oddly at him. Perhaps he did take his work seriously but Varga was… different. His last patron was old and experienced and while they had shared stories, the patron had basically run his own thing. The fact Varga included him as much as she did and seemed less experienced made him feel a bit more involved than just the next pay out. Not only did he have more experience than her, she also seemed willing to listen.

"Besides, you're the Dragonborn," he continued with a shrug, his own thought pattern a bit bothersome, to be honest. "I almost feel a bit obliged to do my best in keeping you alive."

"Yes, well, no self-sacrificing attempts please," she frowned. Teldryn's comments about her dragon blood had mostly been in jest; a tease for partly being a giant lizard, but he seemed unusually serious in mentioning it this time.

The innkeeper came back out, sweeping a pile of ash in front of him. "Your room's… clean again," he told Varga who nodded her thanks.

"I'll go back to sleep," Varga turned to Teldryn. "I suggest you do the same. As much as I'd prefer to stay here and… deal with the vampires, we got other business to attend to in Solstheim."

* * *

The carriage ride back to Windhelm seemed to take forever, as Varga and Teldryn sat on each side of the wagon, the latter resting his head on his arm, over the edge. Varga was reading the old journal she had found in the hall of vigilants. The journal was passed down to every leader and contained most of their daily lives and news. The woman scowled under the long hair that seemed to have a life of its own thanks to the fast speed they were going in.

"Argh!" she scoffed as she slammed shut the journal, getting Teldryn's reaction. "They suspected an attack would come but did little to prevent it," she continued at his unspoken question. He arched an eyebrow before gesturing for the book which she tossed over to him, still annoyed.

He quickly flipped pages to the last entry, reading how the leader had suspected the attack all along, since they had recently cleared out a vampire hold. Several signs had hinted towards the interest of revenge from the vampires but they hadn't been taken seriously.

"You know, the more I know, the less capable these vigilants seem to be," he noted out loud.

"They are capable!" Varga protested. "Or were, perhaps," she sighed afterwards. "They should have known better than to risk their lives. They seemed to know everything when I was with them. A safe haven with its unbreakable people."

Teldryn was still reading the book having gone back many pages, to the very start. It was clearly another leader back then, considering the change of writing style. Before he knew it, a familiar name started to pop up in the writings; Varga's own name in daily reports or descriptions.

"Did you read the whole journal?" he asked.

"Not yet." When Teldryn made an awkward face, she got curious however. "What?"

"Well, the old texts have some… unflattering comments about you. Unruly, impossible to teach magic; _there they go with the ridiculous magic notion again_, stubborn, a bit of a wild child," he explained.

"Like I said, I wasn't young enough to buy everything they said when I came to them. I tried to escape several times the first years. No wonder they titled me 'the Wolf' eventually."

"_Ironic_," Teldryn said drily, as she rolled her eyes. "It seems you did accept them eventually though. You performed quite well in later years and…" he shut the book suddenly, giving her a long look.

"You're only 21 years old," he stated. Perhaps not so 'only' for most people but for him it was very young.

"Only?" Varga frowned, as expected.

"Young." he continued grimly, handing her the book again almost reluctantly.

She glared at him before opening the book where he had left of; finding it to be about when she had disappeared from the vigilants. What she read shocked her a bit though. They had actually tried to find her after she had disappeared but also quickly gathered up that she might be alive as well as a werewolf. The following pages contained not so kind words at her betrayal, how much sense her rebellious behavior made now and that she was to be killed on sight. The last words seemed to be nothing but utter hatred.

Varga let the journal slip through her fingers, watching it land on the wagon's floor with a small thud, before hiding her face into her palms. She couldn't believe they had turned on her so quickly, not even entertaining the idea of a cure, let alone a chance for her to explain! The closest thing she had to a family had just abandoned her in her darkest hour with no regrets.

She flinched when she felt two hands pull away her own from her face and it was first now she realized she was crying. She straightened up quickly, running her finger along her eyes in an attempt to clean up, but she probably looked like half a mess already. Suddenly she was glad she had kept her hair loose for once if only to have it move in front of her face and hide the worst of it.

Teldryn was sitting opposite of her now, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at her, his chin resting on the top of his hands.

"You could have stopped me from reading that," she said, glancing at him accusingly, if briefly. The wind was doing a good job with drying the tears, even if it required some deep breaths to try and stop them from continuing.

"To what point? You'd have read it eventually. Better have it done with. It's hard to deal with now, but in the end it'll strengthen you."

"By Talos, you sound like the Greybeards…"

"With age comes wisdom, I'd say. You're very young, Varga. Too young to have the responsibilities you have now. The less unpleasant surprises from your past, the better. Trust me on that one."

She couldn't answer that one; there was nothing to say really. She still felt hurt and betrayed; all her work in trying to become a proper vigilant and she had just been thrown to the side like that. A lost cause to be rambled about in their journals; a beast to kill on sight.

"Can't believe I've been defending them all this time," she scoffed after a few moments. "When it seems they were just looking for an excuse to get rid of me."

"To be honest… I think you're better off," Teldryn shrugged. "You're the one who lived… and whose destiny was to become the Dragonborn."

Varga sighed; she couldn't really buy that reasoning either. Not yet. It was easy for Teldryn to speak like that; it wasn't he who had been betrayed. Well by the vigilants anyway, she honestly didn't know enough about his life to make such an assumption.

"The details in the book weren't all that great," Teldryn continued. "But it sounds like your departure from them was less than… pleasant?"

"I was out scouting and got attacked by a werewolf," Varga started, looking more confused than anything else, as if the memory alone was hard to grasp. He might as well know all the details now after all and in a way it stopped her from thinking about the vigilants.

"The resulting fight made a smaller cliff side collapse and by the time we hit bottom, the werewolf was dead; having accidently shielded me from the worst of it with its body. Half dead myself, I managed to reach Morthal, the nearby town where someone healed me up. I barely remember anything from that; none knew that the bite on my shoulder was a werewolf's since I was out for several days. As soon as I could I left, because I felt… funny; probably the incoming first transformation. I hadn't gotten more than out of sight before it overcame me and the nearest target in my frenzy was a guard who was patrolling the outskirts of town."

"I'm surprised you survived that to start with…" Teldryn admitted. "Most people don't react well to people they help turning werewolf on them."

"None really saw it. Maybe they suspected it was me all along but not long before I ventured to Solstheim for the first time I took a quick visit into Morthal; I had to resupply and sleep. None recognized me and none certainly blamed me for it. But then, my last visit had been over a year ago."

"I notice that you don't seem too guilty about the guard yourself…?"

"Only the fact that I basically ran for days to get away from Morthal and it took me over a half year before I dared to set foot in another town during any time that the moon was up. Needless to say, eventually I learned when it happened and could plan accordingly."

Teldryn paused, realizing how rough that must have been. It was a good thing she hadn't been a mere farmer, because she'd most likely be dead by then.

"So you lived in the wild for… all that time?" he asked almost doubtfully.

"Basically. A lot of time to practice my archery and… think about what had happened. It wasn't exactly my best time in life. But that's a whole other story… and this thing is starting to feel a little one sided."

"It's not I who's stumbled upon some old secret. You'd need to leave Skyrim for that to happen to me, my dear patron," Teldryn smirked slightly. "Considering we won't reach Windhelm until evening at best… I'd say you'll get plenty of time to think about this. At least you have company this time…"

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**This story isn't dead, it's just a lot slower since I haven't played Skyrim for awhile and haven't really felt for that universe lately. But this one was sitting half done so finished it and decided to post it so it gets an update. Like I said, it's not dead, just slow.**

**Quest spoiler with Neloth in this one, so be warned. And the lines regarding it are taken from the game.**

* * *

This day on Solstheim had an unusual amount of ash in the air; most likely the volcano in the far distance had had another small fit during the night and showered the island in even more ash. As they approached Tel Mithyr it was easy to see that something wasn't entirely right. The large figure that flew around it was a telltale sign of that.

"Just how powerful is Neloth?" Varga asked Teldryn slowly, as he frowned a bit at the sight, his hand resting on the handle of his sword. The dragon's roar echoed across the whole island no doubt, before it swooped down somewhere among the mushroom buildings and then up again.

"Very powerful," Teldryn replied after a while. "Powerful enough to kill a dragon but he's no… Dragonborn."

"Right. Come on, we'd better get rid of that dragon before it decides to attack someone there and knowing Neloth, he's not exactly attentive enough to even notice it." Teldryn rolled his eyes, only half amused. "Just keep down," Varga advised the dunmer since dragon fights weren't too usual for him yet.

They moved closer to Tel Mithyr before Varga paused and pulled out her bow, hiding behind one of the mushrooms. As the dragon circled around the largest building again, she stepped out, carefully aiming an arrow at it. Teldryn watched as she released the arrow, going straight for the dragon's side. It didn't impact with much force, but it got the giant creature's attention as it shrieked in surprise before paying closer attention to the ground.

The dragon landed among the rocks and mushrooms, using its winged arms to steady itself in the dust that erupted from the connection with the ground. The blue scales glistened in the sunlight, while its small yellow eyes searched for the humanoids. Neither of them had been dumb enough to remain anywhere near when it had landed and the first figure that the dragon spotted wasn't even human. Teldryn's flame atronarch had moved forward between the rocks, throwing fire bolts at the dragon.

It Shouted, knocking the atronarch off its feet, the flames around its body temporarily disappearing at the blow but it wasn't enough to kill it, yet. An arrow flew through the air suddenly, burying itself between the scales on the dragon's neck and it made a disgruntled sound in pain and surprise.

Varga stood on one of the larger rocks next to it, another arrow already ready in her bow. She managed to hit the dragon one more time before its focus was entirely on her, opening its mouth for another Shout. While it did that, Teldryn ran up to it, turning his sword around before pressing it up between the scales on its stomach. With a firm push he plunged it in all the way to the hilt. Blood quickly started to trickle down along the handle and over his hands, as the dragon interrupted its Shout, replacing it with a painful roar instead. It turned around abruptly, forcing Teldryn to move away without his sword, before the tail would knock him over. Instead it hit the ground, causing an explosion of ash.

Varga had moved away from the rock she had been standing on, coughing in the ash cloud now, before narrowing her eyes towards the dragon in order to force her eyes to get used to the ash filled air. It grew even worse, as the dragon decided to fly up in the air.

"I swear it does that on purpose," Varga growled annoyed as Teldryn ran up to her.

"It's got a sword in its chest and yet seems unaffected," he muttered. "Definitely a challenge…"

Varga aimed another arrow at the dragon, hitting its wing as it flew off before it turned around, coming right towards them. They both jumped to the side as a breath of ice hit the ground where they had been standing before; something Teldryn got remarkably pleased to see.

"Frost dragon, no?" he called to Varga who aimed at the dragon again.

"Would seem so," she replied, wincing as Teldryn threw off a fully charged fireball towards the dragon that was coming towards them again. She never had much liked fire spells near her, too volatile. The fireball landed right in the dragon's face, possibly blinding it for a second as it didn't slow down, before crashing right onto the ground behind them, sliding almost all the way to the mushroom houses. Even as it struggled to get back on its feet, it was constantly attacked by fire and arrows; Teldryn even managed to burn a hole in its wing, rendering it incapable of flying.

The door to the tallest mushroom house opened suddenly, revealing Neloth in its doorway, Talvas behind him. Varga wanted to cry out a warning, since the dragon's head was turned that way and it wasn't late in spotting them. However opening its mouth resulted in nothing but a fine target for Neloth as he shot a bolt of lightning down its throat. It keeled over almost instantly in agony before falling over to its side.

"Well, this is interesting," Neloth commented upon the fact that he now had a dead dragon at his doorstep. "A fine source of samples at my very door."

Varga made a grimace mostly because she recognized the way the scales were falling off the dragon and how the golden streaks were erupting from its skin. She lifted her arm over face as she absorbed the dragon's power; feeling the light circle around her before dissolving into her skin. Teldryn had seen it before and wasn't that impressed; he just stepped out of the way because he didn't like how the energy flooded through him otherwise.

"Fascinating!" Neloth exclaimed from the door. "Sadly you deprived me off my dragon," he continued, almost miffed. "Talvas, stop wasting time here, get back inside!" he snapped at his apprentice afterwards who nodded quickly and hurried back into the house."I suppose you're here to deliver my goods, no?" Neloth continued towards Varga who nodded.

"Come on then, wasting precious time out here!" he huffed, leaving the door. Teldryn moved over to the dragon, reaching inside it between the ribs; the fact he was inside a skeletal dragon always amazed him a bit; he came back out with his sword that had been dropped to the ground during its death.

The inside of Neloth's tower was as filled with various items as it always had been, Talvas hurrying around among them. Varga had already developed a bit of a hate and love view of Neloth. In one way, she admired his power and knowledge and saw the benefits of being his ally. In another way, she really hated his arrogance.

"Come, come," Neloth said impatiently, tapping an empty spot on a table with his hand. Varga dropped off the various supplies she had gathered for him in Skyrim, rather glad to get rid of them.

"Everything's accounted for," the wizard stated afterwards. "Poor quality on the berries but I can… live with that, considering the length you've traveled. Here, have some septims," he continued, tossing her a small pouch of gold that she barely caught in time.

"Now about that dragon. Since you_ robbed_ me of the chance to study one up close, I feel some compensation is required," he continued, as Varga huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

"I can't exactly control those abilities," she defended herself, her entire expression furrowed. Teldryn smirked upon realizing how adorable she looked, before clearing his throat upon recalling that it wasn't a thought to be had about his employer. Not to say that she'd no doubt punch him for calling her that in the first place.

"That's hardly an excuse. Why, if I was the Dragonborn I'd make sure that I wouldn't… ingest souls everywhere, that'd be extremely inconvenient. Anyhow, I have the perfect task for you." He turned around towards the table behind him, checking through some scrolls while muttering something about seven orders of silence. Papers flew about that Talvas quickly picked up again, gathering them in his arms.

"Seven what now?" Varga asked, as Neloth turned back around, reading from a scroll in his hand though.

"Seven forms of silence. Shows what those philosophers know, I believe there's eight. I just need to test it on you first."

"What? No!" Varga frowned.

"Oh don't worry, it's nothing dangerous. I just want to see the mental effect, that's all. I'll even prepare a version for you to… use on others." Varga grunted; to be honest she doubted she'd even have a choice anyway. And she could name a few morons back in Skyrim; Windhelm particularly, that she wanted to shut up.

"Fine," she muttered.

"Excellent!" Neloth's hand became blue with what she assumed was the spell before everything turned black the second he threw it on her. She tried to voice her concern, when she realized she couldn't do that either for some reason. But she felt _something_ going on, on her face.

"Master Neloth! What have you done to her? What are those things growing out of her eyes?" Talvas' voice reached her suddenly, so at least she wasn't deaf too.

"Well that's unexpected. I presume you are blind, given the state of your eyes. It's nothing that can't be fixed. The spell that is. I think I can fix the spell. It should only take a couple more years. But first, I need some data. Try wiggling them," Neloth's reply came, as Varga showed her dislike to the situation by moving forward and trying to lob Neloth's face with her fists. Someone grabbed hold of her from behind, Teldryn she assumed, forcing her to stand still.

"No, don't shake your fists. Wiggle the tentacle things where your eyes used to be," Neloth continued, unperturbed by her 'attack'.

Varga was sure she heard Talvas gag somewhere further off, probably feeling sick at the sight of what was going on; something she didn't want to picture herself and she certainly had no control of it at all either.

"Hmm. From the way they are waving about, I'm assuming they aren't under your control. And I see now that your tongue is also...well, it's probably best if I don't say. Don't bother trying to scream though," Neloth mumbled, clearly thoughtful over the whole thing.

"I'd suggest you repair this fast," Teldryn told Neloth, as he could almost feel the panic in Varga and he knew just what form that'd take.

"Well, like I said, that could take years," Neloth huffed, before he grew silent, as it seemed something was happening to the spell.

"Can I look? Does she have eyes again?" Talvas asked, as he snuck back to the group. Varga immediately blinked once she felt she was capable to do it before her hands flew up over her eyes that had returned, Teldryn already letting go of her.

"Interesting. You look completely normal again," Neloth noted curiously, as Varga glared at him under her hands.

"That was the most awful thing I've experienced in a long time," she grumbled, rubbing her eyes. "I certainly hope that made up for 'stealing' your dragon!"

"Hrmph," was all Neloth said, before he tossed another small pouch of coin her way. Teldryn caught it mid-air before it would have hit Varga straight in the face, the way she was covering her eyes.

"It's too bad it wore off so fast," Neloth shrugged. "But perhaps it's for the best; it wouldn't do to have you fumble around here." He turned back to his table to note down what had happened in the scrolls there, no doubt. Teldryn grabbed Varga's shoulders to straighten her up and make her look at him; or more like glare at him.

"Are you alright?" he asked carefully, realizing what a stupid question it might be.

"Do I look alright?!" she snapped at him afterwards. "My _eyes_ became tentacles! _Tentacles_! And my tongue, wait, what happened to my _tongue_?"

"Eh…"

"Stendarr's mercy, I am going to _kill_ him!" she growled suddenly, moving towards Neloth's back, but Teldryn grabbed hold of her again with a sigh more or less.

"No, you're not," he told her calmly, as she struggled to get loose.

"Oh, I could easily kill that stupid, arrogant… petty dark elf!"

"Well at least now you're sounding like a proper Nord," he remarked drily, as she paused, groaning afterwards. The shock and anger had got the better of her, probably fueled on by her werewolf side.

"I didn't mean it like that," she frowned, calming down quickly upon the realization; she hated being compared to other Nords like that. Teldryn let go of her, but kept his hand on her shoulder, mostly in reassurance.

"I know," he said.

"Well, that silence spell would certainly have come in handy," Neloth's dry reply interrupted Teldryn from saying anything further, as both looked towards the Telvanni wizard.

"Oh, don't bother, we're leaving," Varga scoffed.

"Before you leave, could I possible ask for another favor for the next time you head to Skyrim?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Certainly not! It's a fairly easy task anyway… all you need to do is find a Briarheart warrior and examine them. Probably their corpse unless you happen to find a friendly one."

Varga and Teldryn exchanged a look, before she sighed upon seeing him shrug. They would probably stumble upon the Forsworn back in Skyrim anyway.

"What exactly am I examining on them?" she asked reluctantly.

"It's the literal briar heart part I'm interested on. I'd ask you to take notes on how it works but I don't think you'd understand what you are looking at. Ah. I'll just put a memory trace spell on you; that way I can see for myself when you examine them afterwards."

"Oh no, no more spells," Varga narrowed her eyes instantly.

"A memory trace spell is old and safe," Talvas pointed out from over where he was working.

"Focus on those crystals, Talvas!" Neloth snapped.

"Maybe I don't want you to see my memories…" Varga pointed out.

"Trust me; I am not interested in them either. I'll just extract the one I need when you return. I _can _be discrete."

"Can you? I couldn't tell." Varga shifted her glare over at Teldryn quickly as he nudged her, probably not fond of her indirect insults.

"Alright, just, if this spell goes crazy again, I will kill you," she frowned.

"You could try," Neloth snorted dismissively, before tossing the spell at her. She had closed her eyes in near horror before opening one eye and then the next, before checking herself over.

"See. No harm done," Neloth smirked coolly. "Now go and find me a Briarheart and study their heart long and well."

"How long does it last?"

"As long as it has to. Doesn't mean you should frolic around for months, mind you."

"Good luck!" Talvas called out as Varga almost pushed Teldryn towards the levitation device that'd take them back down.

"You're not even going to ask what he needs it for?" Teldryn asked Varga, almost teasingly.

"No! Now go."

Varga almost stormed out of the door, not stopping until a few good steps and then turning to look at the giant mushroom house, looking positively miffed.

"I seriously can't decide whether I should hate the man or love him…" she shook her head to Teldryn who couldn't keep from snickering now.

"I'll refrain from commenting," he said. "Safest." He turned to look at the remains of the dragon outside, almost lazily poking its skull. "But I think he'll appreciate the amount of dragon bones you've given him." He reached down to grip one of its teeth before ripping it off with a loud crack, as Varga sided with him. She put her hand on the skull's large muzzle, looking at it for a long while as Teldryn studied the fang in his hand.

"He'd better," Varga shook her head. "Come on, we should head back to… Skyrim I suppose."

"That eager to follow his command?"

"Teldryn!" she snapped at him, as he was so clearly amused at the whole thing.


End file.
